ASX rises on China data

Australian shares rose 0.3 percent after a volatile start on Friday, led by the miners as Chinese data bolstered investor sentiment ahead of the closely-watched US non-farm payrolls report due later on Friday.

Blue-chip miners led the gains, with BHP Billiton rallying 0.8 per cent while rival Rio Tinto climbed 1.8 per cent.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was 14.2 points higher at 5123.4. The index slipped 0.2 per cent on Thursday.